The Taliban killed at least 291 Afghan security personnel over the past week, a top government official said Monday, accusing the insurgents of unleashing a wave of violence ahead of potential talks. The previous week was the “deadliest” in the country’s 19 years of conflict, said Javid Faisal, spokesman for the National Security Council, even as the insurgents dismissed the latest figures. Source France
China is trying to turn Taiwan into another Hong Kong, the island’s foreign minister warned on Tuesday as he met with a senior US official making a historic diplomatic trip. Source The Guardian
Britain and France will work “at pace” to finalise a new plan for shutting down a migrant route across the Channel, British immigration minister Chris Philp said on Tuesday. Philp said President Emmanuel Macron’s government agreed the high numbers making the illegal crossing were unacceptable. Source France24
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute has registered the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine for use. He said his daughter is among those already inoculated. Source Deutsche Welle
